Private Cataract Surgery Southampton

Private cataract surgery may be recommended when cataracts start to affect the quality of your vision and everyday activities. Common symptoms include blurred or misty vision, increased glare, difficulty reading and reduced confidence when driving. Following a comprehensive assessment, your consultant ophthalmic surgeon will advise whether cataract surgery is the most suitable option for your individual needs.

To see if private cataract surgery in Southampton  could be a good option for you, book a Free Online Consultation with us.

Cataracts generally develop gradually, so changes in vision often become more noticeable over time. Early symptoms can include cloudy or misty vision, increased sensitivity to bright lights, glare from oncoming headlights, colours appearing less vivid and increasing difficulty with activities such as reading, driving or recognising faces.

Private cataract surgery involves replacing the eye’s cloudy natural lens with a clear artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure is carried out by an experienced consultant ophthalmic surgeon under local anaesthetic using modern microsurgical techniques. Most patients return home on the same day.

The operation itself usually takes around 20 to 30 minutes per eye, although your overall visit will be longer to allow time for admission, preparation and post-operative checks. Before leaving the clinic, you’ll receive personalised aftercare guidance to support your recovery.

The most appropriate intraocular lens (IOL) depends on your prescription, eye health, lifestyle and visual expectations. Sapphire Eye Care offers a choice of monofocal, multifocal, trifocal and Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) lenses. Your consultant ophthalmic surgeon will explain the benefits of each option and recommend the lens best suited to your individual needs.

The cost of private cataract surgery depends on your individual treatment plan and the intraocular lens selected. Following your consultation and diagnostic assessment, your consultant ophthalmic surgeon will discuss the recommended treatment and provide a personalised quotation outlining all associated costs. Learn more about Private Cataract Surgery Costs.

Many patients experience greater freedom from glasses after cataract surgery, particularly when premium intraocular lenses are chosen. The extent to which glasses are no longer required depends on factors such as your eye health, prescription and the lens selected during your treatment.

Both NHS and private cataract surgery safely remove cataracts by replacing the eye’s natural lens with a clear artificial intraocular lens. Choosing private treatment at Sapphire Eye Care offers additional benefits, including faster access to consultations and surgery, continuity with the same consultant ophthalmic surgeon, access to premium lens technologies and treatment within comfortable modern private facilities.

Yes. Complimentary on-site parking is available for patients attending our Winchester clinic, helping to make your visit as convenient and stress-free as possible.

Yes. Because your vision may be temporarily affected after your procedure, you should arrange for a friend, family member or companion to accompany you home. Before leaving the clinic, you’ll receive detailed aftercare instructions covering your prescribed eye drops, protective eye shield, follow-up appointments and recovery.

Recovery varies from patient to patient, although many people notice clearer vision within the first few days. You should only resume driving once your vision meets the legal driving standard and your consultant ophthalmic surgeon has confirmed it is safe to do so. Most normal daily activities can be resumed gradually in accordance with your personalised recovery advice.

Patients travelling from Southampton can typically access consultation appointments promptly at our Winchester clinic. During your appointment, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon will assess your eyes, discuss your treatment options and recommend the most appropriate cataract surgery plan based on your individual vision and lifestyle requirements.

• After surgery you may experience some pain. Simple paracetamol is usually enough to control this.
• The eyelids will be a bruised and swollen. Bruising will take approximately 2 weeks to settle. Swelling is greatly reduced after 2 weeks but may not completely resolve for several months.
• Some people report not feeling ‘back to normal’ for up to 6 months after surgery.
• Initially it may feel difficult for you to close your eyelids and this will be managed with eye ointments.
• It is important not to have surgery too close to important events, in case you have not fully recovered in time.

• Dermatochalasis is excess of eyelid skin. It can present as an extra fold of skin, which may overhang the upper eyelashes.
• It is caused by the skin loosing its elasticity, usually due to age but is also seen in some medical conditions such as Thyroid related.
• It may be associated with prolapse of orbital fat causing the eyelid to bulge (eye bags). This may occur in the upper or lower eyelid.
• The lower lid may be lax or loose, which may cause it to sag or hang lower than in youth.

• A blepharoplasty is an operation to rejuvenate the eyelids and in some cases can improve vision where excess skin is obscuring it.
• It usually involves removal of excess eyelid skin.
• Depending on an individual, muscle or fat underlying the skin may also be removed, repositioned or tightened surgically.
• The procedure can be carried out in the upper or lower eyelid

Upper eyelid blepharoplasty:

• At the beginning of the operation the amount of skin to be removed will be carefully assessed. Marks will be drawn on the eyelid with a sterile marking pen to assist the surgeon during the procedure.
• The incision is based in the skin crease of the upper lid, which helps to minimise any sign that you have had upper lid surgery.
• After this, local anaesthetic will be injected under the skin of the eyelid and excess skin is then removed.
• Depending on your particular needs, the muscle beneath the skin may be preserved or partially removed.
• If there is fat prolapse, this may be treated with partial fat removal or repositioning.
• Sutures are placed to reform the natural skin crease in the eyelid.
• The skin edges are sutured together with either a continuous suture that is removed one week later or absorbable sutures that will naturally fall out after 2-3 weeks.
• It may be performed alone or in conjunction with other procedures such as lower eyelid surgery, ptosis surgery or brow surgery.

Lower eyelid blepharoplasty:

• There are several elements to lower lid blepharoplasty: skin, muscle, fat and eyelid laxity. The procedure will be tailored to your needs.
• Fat prolapse in the lower eyelid gives the appearance of ‘eye bags’. This fat can be excised or repositioned over the orbital rim to create a smoother transition from the eyelid into the cheek.
• Surgery on the prolapsed fat may be done without a skin incision from the inside of the eyelid – transconjunctival or via a skin incision just beneath the eyelashes – transcutaneous.
• The lower eyelid usually needs to be tightened at the time of surgery. Even a small amount of lid laxity can lead to postoperative lower lid retraction or ectropion if not addressed at the time of surgery.
• The orbicularis muscle, which lies directly beneath the skin is often tightened by placing sutures from it to the bony rim of the orbit – ‘orbicularis suspension’.
• Lower eyelid skin is excised in much smaller amounts than in the upper lid. This is to avoid the unwanted side effect following surgery of eyelid retraction.

• Bleeding and bruising.
• Over or under correction of excess skin with the potential for residual bulging after surgery. Under correction does not usually necessitate revision surgery and is relatively common and preferable to over correction. Over correction results from removal of too much eyelid skin and/or fat with a resultant cosmetic sunken appearance to the eyelids after blepharoplasty).
• Asymmetry of the shape of the eyelids.
• Dry eye requiring the use of artificial teardrops temporarily blurred vision, which is usually temporary.
• Weak or limited eyelid blink (occurs due to excessive scarring)
• Weak or limited eyelid closure (especially at night)
• Should the cornea break down, partial closure of the eye with sutures may be necessary to protect it. Further corrective surgery may be necessary.
• Recurrence of excess skin/bag.
• The need for further eyelid surgery in the future.
• Cysts or whiteheads along suture sites.
• Temporary patches of numbness of the eyelids.
• Orbital haemorrhage with a potential for permanent visual loss
• Infection
• Scarring, or persistent eyelid swelling, and other unusual skin changes, especially in patients with thin sensitive skin, are extremely rare complications.

Crow’s feet are not generally improved by blepharoplasty. Smile lines are not improved by blepharoplasty and may change after surgery. In addition to the risks specific to the individual procedure, there are also general risks, such as blood loss, infection, cardiac arrest, airway problems and blood clots, which are associated with any surgical procedure. Local anaesthetic may cause bruising or possible allergic responses. If your operation is to be carried out under general anaesthetic, the anaesthetist will discuss this with you.

• Both eyelid dermatochalasis and eyebrow ptosis may reduce the visual field due to the hooding of skin over the eyelid; surgery can therefore improve visual function and relieve some headaches.
• It also will improve the appearance of the eyes with a fresher more awake look.

If you choose not to have this surgery, the appearance and symptoms caused by the excess skin or fat is not likely to improve and may worsen over time, although this will not have any permanent detrimental effect on your vision or general health.